Sports Reporter

Boss Phil Neville insisted his players could hold their heads high after England were cruelly denied a place in the Women’s World Cup final last night by the USA in Lyon.

Steph Houghton had an 84th-minute penalty saved before Millie Bright was red-carded moments later as the Lionesses’ dreams of becoming the first senior England team – male or female – to contest a World Cup final since 1966 were dashed.

Neville insisted there should be no tears from his England players after their semi-final defeat.

Alex Morgan then matched White in the race for the Golden Boot with the goal that restored the USA advantage in the 31st minute, before the England forward had a second-half effort disallowed on a marginal offside call after VAR was consulted.

England were then the beneficiaries of a second VAR intervention, when White was awarded a penalty after Becky Sauerbrunn made contact with her trailing leg in the box.

However, captain Houghton – on spot-kick duty after Nikita Parris missed England’s last two – produced a poor effort from 12 yards, with Alyssa Naeher comfortably making the save low to her right.

“We’ve had VAR decisions that have gone our way, we got on with it we came back, we obviously got the penalty.

“We score them, we miss them – that’s football. Then Millie (Bright) who shouldn’t have got booked in the first half, 100 per cent, I thought the referee wasn’t in control of the game to be honest with you, but she sent Millie off then we had to go to three at the back and it became stretched.

“I can’t ask anything more –we’ve had the time of our lives and they’ve really played their hearts out.”

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